Lassman wonder goal stuns Cats

JC MSFL DIVISION THREECATFORD & BROMLEY MACCABI 2 GLENTHORNE UNITED B 3
A superb late winner from Daniel Lassman helped high-flying Glenthorne maintain their perfect record this season following a five-goal thriller at Norsemen FC.

Thornes player-manager Craig Sandford had put his team in front with a neat finish before Yonni Bord levelled things up.

A shock looked on the cards as Rafi Marom put Catford ahead, but a James Rubin penalty made it 2-2 before Lassman’s intervention.

Sandford felt his team didn’t give their opponents enough respect, but was pleased to have edged a tight match.

“It’s the first time this season we’ve been down in a game and our attitude wasn’t great,” he said. “We dug in, changed the formation and they worked hard. What a wonderstrike by Dan Lassman which three or four goalies wouldn’t have saved.

“Credit to Catford, they came out wanted it more than us and deserved something out of it, but our class showed in the end.”

It was a fast start from the visitors, with Sandford just failing to connect with an early corner before he played in Richard Rosenthal, only for the prolific forward to mishit his shot.

It was not long until they were in front either as Sandford latched onto a through ball to outpace the Catford defence and fire clinically past Guy ben Aroya.

Glenthorne looked the better team but were hit with a bolt from the blue when Bord hit an audacious effort from near to the touchline which looped over James Law to level things up within minutes.

Glenthorne were stunned, and Catford took advantage by taking the lead shortly afterwards as Marom got his head to a Bord corner.

Catford continued to threaten from set pieces in particular, and created a number of half chances as the half wore on, and also felt they should have had a penalty when Ashley Stokes was sent tumbling to ground.

It took until the last minutes of the half for the visitors to regain their composure. Lassman had a free kick saved before Rubin supplied Andy Levy, only for his shot to be comfortably gathered.

There were fewer chances at the start of the second half, with Glenthorne still struggling to impose themselves on their hosts. Adam Bernstein fired narrowly over following Sandford’s lay off and Levy found himself in a good position the left before firing wide for the visitors, whose 100 per cent record looked under serious threat.

The game was almost put out of reach when Stokes met a free kick with a header, but he couldn’t get any power on it and Law was able to gather.

The sweltering heat seemed to be taking its toll on both teams but when the referee called an impromptu drinks break Glenthorne reaped the rewards immediately when Sandford broke clear of his marker and was hauled to the floor. The referee pointed to the spot, much to the anger of the hosts, and Rubin coolly converted the penalty.

There was no doubt over the winning goal though, as after a move broke down on the left Lassman picked the ball up, and just outside the area he struck a technically superb effort which curled into the top corner of the net, giving ben Aroya no chance.

It was a fitting goal to win any game, and joint Catford boss Adam Lewis hailed his team’s improvement at the end, having lost 8-0 to the same opponents less than a month ago.

“If we’d have taken our chances in the first half we’d have been 4-1 up. They’re clearly the best team in the division, and scored an amazing goal to win it. If we play like that against anyone else we’ll be up there challenging.

"We’ve got a lot to take from this, our players can be proud of the way they played today."